Steam-engine



(No Model.) A

T. -BRANTLEY- STEAM ENGINE.

No. 339,965. Patented Apr. 1'3, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @tirreno THOMAS BRANTLEY, OF EUFAULA, ALABAMA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339.965, dated April 13, 1886.

Application filed December-12, 1885. Serial No. 185,484. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that l, THoMAs BRAN'rLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eufaula, in the county of Barbour and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accomompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in steamengines; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

This invention is an improvement upon that V for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 325,725, were granted to me September 8, 1885.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a steam-engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the steam-cylinder. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View of the same.

A represents the bed-plate, which may be of any suitable construction, and to which is bolted the cylinder B at one end, and the standards C at t-he opposite end. To the standards are bolted bearing boxes or blocks D, in which is journaled the cranked driving-shaft E. In the center of the cylinder, in the sides thereof, are cut horizontal slots F, and in the cylinder is placed a hollow piston, G, that is of sufficient length to keep the slots F closed at every portion of its stroke, so as to prevent the escape of steam through said slots. In one side of the cylinder are cut the exhaustopenings H, whichvare located just beyond each end of the stroke of the'piston. Asteamchest, l, is located on the upper side of the cylinder, and in this steam-chest is located a slide-valve of the common construction, that controls the admission of steam into the cylinder through ports that communicate with the steam-chest and cylinder in the usual way. From the sides of the piston project pins L, which extend through the slots F of the cylinder, and to the projecting ends of these pins are pivoted the rear ends of the side arms, M. The front ends of the side arms are pivoted on the projecting arms of a transverse shaft, N, that passes through the upper ends of rockarms O, that have their lowerends pivoted on a shaft, l?, that passes through the bed-plate at a suitable distance in front of the cylinder. A connecting-rod, R, has its rear end pivoted centrally on the shaft N, between collets or L shoulders that are shrunk on said shaft, and the front end ofthe connecting-rod is pivoted to the wrist of the cranked shaft in the usual manner. Gibs and keys are provided for the ends of the connecting-rod, in order to compensate for wear at the bearing-points. rlhe slidevalves that control the admission of steam into the cylinder are operated by an eccentric, S. on the cranked shaft, a rod, T, a rock-arm, U, and rod V, as shown. Steam is admitted into the ends of the cylinder alternately, and drives the piston back and forth therein. As the piston is moving in either direction, the exhaust-port is closed by the piston until the ends of the stroke is reached, when the port is suddenly opened as the end of the piston passes beyond it, and the steam is permitted to escape freely before the return-stroke of the piston is begun. On the inner sides of the cylinder, in line with the exhaust-ports and communicating therewith, are cut annular grooves a, and at a suitable distance from these grooves, on opposite sides of the center of the cylinder, are similar annular grooves, b, which communicate with oil-cups c, that are located on the outer sides of the cylinder.

ln the grooves b are placed wicks d, which absorb the oil from the oil-cups and lubricate the piston, so as to render the latter perfectly tight in the cylinder. The function of the grooves a is to receive steam that may escape past the piston between it and the cylinder,in the event of insufficient packing, and thereby preventing the said steam from escaping through the slots F in the sides of the cylinder, or getting through to the other end thereof. As the grooves a communicate with the exhaust-ports, any steam which may work its way between the piston and cylinder will be conveyed by the said grooves to the exhaust ports, and thereby discharged. The wicks in the grooves b receive a constant supply of oil from the oil-cups, and thereby keep the piston thoroughly lubricated.

e represents transverse openings, which are IOC drilled through the valve-seat at a suitable distance belowr the surface of' the latter. These openings communicate with oil-cupsf, which are located at one end thereof, and at the other 5 end of the openings are provided blow-off valves g. A series of vertical apertures, h, extend from thel face of the Valve-seat alongside the inlet-ports to the openings e, and communicate therewith. Wicks of suitable abf'rof-s'orbent'material are inserted in the openings e and in the apertures h, and the said wicks are kept saturated with oil from the oil-cups f, and feed the said oilto the faces of the valveseat, and thereby keep the valve constantly 15 lubricated. Ifnecessary, the oil-cups f may be connected Wlth the steam-chest by pipes j", as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 3, to admit steam in the upper ends of the oilcups, for the purpose of forcing the oil through the o wicks. Should the apertures h or the openings e become clogged or iilled up with gum or other substance, the blow-off valves may be opened and the slide-valve moved past the apertures h, and thereby admit the steam from 2 5 the steam-chest into the said apertures, which will readily blow the substancewhich is located in the apertures or openings .therefrom and thoroughly clean them out.

Having thus describedv my invention, I 3o claim- 1. The valve-seat having the openings e, communicating with the surface thereof, the

oil-cups for supplying oil to the openings c,

and the wicks or absorbent located in said openings for feeding the oil to the face of the valve-seat, and the blow-oi` valves at the outer ends of the openings e,.for the purpose Selii forth, substantially as described.

2. In a steam-engine, the cylinder having.` 4o

3. Thecombination of the cylinderhavu'gQ the closed ends, the longitudinal slotsF in its sides, and the annular grooves a',coinmunicat f Y ing with the exhaust-ports, with the cylindri'- j cal piston G in the cylinder, and having ytheprojecting pins L, working in the slots F, sub- .l

stantiall y as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing asm' my own I have hereto aixed my signaturei presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS BRANTLEY.

Vitnesses:

S. H. DENT, E. B. YOUNG. 

